


Keep Them Safe

by NoctisValex



Category: Redsworld, Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Fanfiction of Fanfiction, From the view of my OC, I love the original fanfic so much, Keep Him Safe fanfic, please help me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-03-20 14:54:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13720047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoctisValex/pseuds/NoctisValex
Summary: Oliver Frey is a single father who works as a detective, alongside his close friend Dexter Knowles. He's content with the life he's built, but he still feels like something is missing. But thanks to fellow colleague Logan Sanders, he's been able to relax at a new cafe that had just recently open. That is until one day, when his childhood friend shows up looking for a job, causing Oliver's heart race and a thought of mending a broken friendship.Redmond Drop is a down on his luck barista who is struggling to make a living. Luck just never seems to go his way, which becomes apparent when his coffee shop is torn down in favor of an apartment complex, his fiance leaves for Europe, and he gets kicked out of his apartment. In just one week. Hoping that his skill and passion for coffee lands him a job, he decides to apply at a local cafe/bakery. Much to his horror, however, he finds someone who he admittedly hoped to never see again.**This is my take on one of my favorite Sanders Sides fanfics! It's a detective AU, and I'll be writing this from my own characters' points of views. It's still going to take place in the same timeline, just following my dudes instead.**





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Keep him safe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13358727) by [Whatwashernameagain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whatwashernameagain/pseuds/Whatwashernameagain). 



> I've changed his name to Oliver to avoid confusion!

Blue and silver eyes opened up slowly under the harsh glare of morning sunlight. He wasn't a morning person in the slightest, and usually had a glaring contest with the sun. Today, however, the showdown between the fiery rays and himself was interrupted as a small blur burst into the room, launching itself off of the floor and promptly landing on the man's chest.

Even though he still wasn't awake he managed to slow the object's momentum just enough to stop any serious damage, although he'd still have some bruising. Squinting past the bright light, he was pleased to see the ray of sunshine in his life.

"Papa!" his son squealed, tackling the already pinned man in a tight hug. Huffing slightly with laughter, Oliver sat up, gently setting the boy on his lap, smiling warmly. He yawned, bringing his hands up to speak. "Did you sleep well, love?" he signed, getting an enthusiastic nod and an added "Aunt Rose is here! She's making breakfast for us, and they're your favorite!"

"Blueberry pancakes?" Oliver's face was hopeful. His younger sister made the best blueberry pancakes, and she was a constant in their lives since his wife had passed. His son, Danny, let a grin split across his face, nodding again. "Yep!" he exclaimed. "I also got your costume today. Today is Papa's lazy day!" Danny jumped off the bed and grabbed a pile of clothes. Being as small as he was, he couldn't see where he was going, and nearly tripped before his father caught him. Oliver signed thank you, grateful to be looked after by such a loving family. "I'll be down in a few," he gestured. "Make sure you clear out the kitchen of the monsters." The last part was added with a twinkle in his eyes.

Danny loved to imagine himself as a prince these days, no thanks to a certain co-worker of his, and would often slay the dreaded monsters that oh so terrified his dad, to protect the "king" from harm. The youngster darted from the room, yelling something about honor while a raspy chuckle escaped the older male's throat.

While he couldn't speak, he was able to make some noise. Some being the keyword, as most of the sounds he made consisted of grunts, huffs, snarls, and growls. His laughing could be described as someone struggling to breath. He didn't mind it so much anymore. It was still frustrating for him to try and explain things in-depth, or get someone's attention, but he didn't hate his inability to speak like he used. Oliver was born mute. He had been told from an early age there was no chance for recovery, so he didn't even try, shrugging every time a doctor came up with some fancy new process, because the way he saw it, he wasn't taking the chance with something that could potentially harm him further.

His eyes wandered over to the tall mirror leaning against the wall, examining himself and letting a small smile grace his lips. He had more muscle than before, something he had used to pride himself on before he had hit his depressive episode. Oliver now had an lithe, tall frame. His clothes normally portrayed him as just some lanky guy who never ate, but he took good care of himself these days. Straightening up, he laid out the clothes on his bed.

As always, his son had an eye for fashion. Today's outfit was a light pink dress shirt with the sleeves already rolled, his favorite pair of comfy, dark blue jeans, a tie with constellations on it, and, of course, his usual dark grey, sleeveless hoodie. He let his eyes wander down further, and rolled his eyes. Bright, mismatched socks; neon pink and a highlighter yellow. He got dressed, again marveling at how well Danny assembled the outfit. _I find more ways he's like his mother everyday_ , Oliver thought. He slipped on his worn purple sneakers and headed to the kitchen, the sweet scent of blueberries making him walk even faster.

His sister heard him coming before he had even entered the kitchen. Lyana, or Rose, as she'd been known as for the past six years, took one glance at her brother's red disheveled hair and sighed, handing him the brush she always kept in the kitchen. "Brush your hair, you imbecile. I can handle your usual look, but this? This is nonsense. You look like you just got into a fight with a squirrel and it won." Oliver silently mocked her as he attempted to untangle his hair, eventually brushing it into something a little more manageable and tying it back. He had grown his hair out a bit, but he still had the long bangs covering one of his eyes, and the two tufts of hair that never wanted to stay down. His wife used to call him a devil because of it, and the memory caused him to smile. A smile that dropped once he looked at the time.

 _Shit_ , he thought, but before he could think of anything else, Rose placed a couple of boxes in his hands. "I knew you'd wake up late, so I already prepped breakfast for you guys." Oliver raised an eyebrow at her statement, which made her thrust a mug of coffee at him. "Dexter, you idiot. Now go, get to work. Danny and I have plans to go to the park to slay some dragons." She then spun around, her long dark brown ponytail hitting him in the face. He scowled at her, but it lacked anything negative towards her. It was more of him saying 'fuck you' to her, since he knew she had done it on purpose, and his hands were full.

Checking to make sure he had his wallet, keys, and phone, he headed down the stairs of his apartment building, juggling breakfast and his coffee. He nearly tripped over himself, which resulted in a loud bellow of laughter off to the side. If looks could kill, Oliver was sure that his partner would have been dead years ago.

The large man chuckled, his wild midnight blue hair sticking out in multiple directions. If Rose had thought his hair was uncontrollable, then he hated to think of what rant she would scream about Dexter's hair. His best friend didn't make fun of his little stumble any longer though, because his eyes settled on the boxes.

"Blueberry pancakes?" he whispered hopefully, and when Oliver nodded, he picked up the small redhead and swung him around, much to Oliver's dismay. He let out one of his signature snarls, his look demanding to be put down. He wasn't so lucky, however, when Dexter just shook his head and threw Oliver over his shoulder. "No such luck, Pipsqueak! My car didn't start and I don't want your pretty little feet to suffer." The quiet one out of the two huffed, the irritation clear. He swore he was going to deck Roman once they got to the precinct. He already dealt with _that_  Prince on a regular basis, and now his son, he did not need to deal his partner and best friend being all chivalrous as well.


	2. Chapter 2

_"WHAT?! You can't do this to me!" The man tried to stop the other, only to be shoved to the ground. He whimpered, nursing his bruised wrist gently. "Please don't leave me..."_

_The other man turned, a look of absolute disgust on his face. "You're pathetic, you know that? I can't believe I wasted two years on you..." He pulled off the silver band that was wrapped around his finger, tossing it at the sobbing mess. Without another word, he picked up his suitcase and left, slamming the door behind him._

_Redmond continued to sob on the floor. What had he done wrong? He did everything he could to make his ~~fiance~~ ex-fiance happy. He came whenever he was called, did whatever he was told. But he still wasn't happy... Eventually, the ginger haired male stood, trembling. He had work soon and had to cover up the bruises, though he didn't know how bad they were yet._

That was two days ago. Redmond stood outside of his apartment building, staring dumbfounded at the owner. He had been kicked out for not paying rent? But that's ridiculous! He just gave the money to his ex last week to pay rent and-

Oh... His anger rose a little at the realization he had been stolen from, but at least he had his coffee shop. He could work there and sleep in the back.

* * *

He couldn't believe it. His luck was so rotten that he just lost his business too? What had he done to the universe to deserve this? That man stared numbly at the check in his hands while he waited in line at the bank. It seemed that all he was worth was $1, 473. He deposited it and headed outside. For the first time that day he felt tears welling up and spilling over, as if floodgates had been opened.

Ragged breaths shook him to his core, but he managed to keep walking. He just had to find a bus stop. He could do this...

A light tap shook him out of his thoughts, face covered in fresh tears. He found himself looking at a large man, at least a foot taller than him. The man had black hair that had been shaved on the sides, tan skin, and intense amber eyes looking at him in worry. Redmond wrapped his arms around himself, embarrassed. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to get in your way," he muttered quietly.

The stranger smiled, concerned etched across his features. "Are you okay, sir? You nearly walked into traffic." The man's statement made his head shoot up, and sure enough, he had been about to walk out into the road. _I wish he hadn't stopped me_ , Red thought wistfully. A shake made him remember the man. "Sir? Are you okay?"

 _No_. "Of course, just a bit tired!" The smile was forced, and the stranger immediately frowned.   
  
"What happened?"

Damn. He was very observant. He sighed heavily. "MyfiancebrokeupwithmeandwenttoEuropeandstolemoneysoIgotkickedoutofmyarpartmentandnowI'mhomelesswithnoincome." The words came out on their own, tumbling over each other and mashing together. A sob broke out, threatening to make his knees give out.

_So weak. So so weak... Pathetic. Useless. Just kill yourse-_

Suddenly, he was falling. Or, at least, he thought he was. All he knew is that he felt dizzy and was no longer standing. He didn't know where he was. What was going on? His mind was reeling so much that he was only vaguely aware of being put into a car. The piling stress was too much, and he slowly passed out.

* * *

He woke up to muffled voices, and then a squeal. Opening his eyes revealed a man looming over him, grinning wide. He had circular glasses that seemed to take up half of his face, and- _GOOD GOD HIS HAIR!_ Redmond sat up in shock, taking in the man's wild mess of midnight blue hair. "W-who are you?" he squeaked, slapping his hand over his mouth right after. _How mortifying..._

The man chuckled. "My name is Detective Knowles, and that over there is my husband, Nicholas." The detective jabbed a finger behind him to reveal the same stranger from earlier. Red opened his mouth to reply but Knowles charged forward. "My first name is Dexter though, so don't worry about being formal! You're not in trouble. But you are terrifyingly malnourished. When was the last time you ate? What's your name? Is there anyone we need to contact for you?" The questions continued, with no time to be answered, before he had a plate shoved in his hands by the overly excited detective. "We made you food but you didn't wake up for awhile so it's a bit cold!"

"H-hold on... Why are you being so nice to me?" It was shocking to be fussed over by two strangers, although he didn't really mind.

It was Nicholas who spoke next. His voice was deeper than his husband's, but carried just as much concern. "Well, for one, almost walked into traffic, passed out from dehydration, and besides, Dex here is a sucker for helping people out. I wasn't able to argue with him. But we had an extra room that he-" he cleared his throat after receiving a glare from Dexter, "we wouldn't mind you using," he finished. While he had been explaining, Redmond finally got a good look at the two. Nicholas looked like he was over six feet, and muscle to go with it, but not too much to make him look frightening. Dexter seemed shorter than his partner. He could be described as a teddy bear. He was a little thick, but no doubt had muscle hidden underneath the pudgy looking exterior. 

One thing was clear, however. Detective Knowles was the wife.

A chuckle slipped out at the conclusion, which caused the detective to grin. "What do you say? Would you want to stay here? I know I'm rather intimidating but that shouldn't influence your decision! I promise I'm almost as harmless as a worm."

Deciding to humor the man, the ginger nodded seriously. "You are incredibly intimidating, but I suppose I won't let that influence my choice." Behind his husband, Nicholas snickered. "Alright, I've made up my mind. I'll stay here." Internally, he was grateful, but he couldn't help but wonder what cruel fate was waiting for him. Terrible luck, then all of a sudden, two strangers offer him a place to stay? He wouldn't get comfortable. He had to be ready for when disaster struck this time...

* * *

The first thing Oliver Frey did when he walked into the office was smack his fist lightly on Roman Prince's head. His morning wasn't going smoothly, and he had been carried- CARRIED!- to work by his partner. And then Dexter's husband called him for an emergency, so now Oliver wasn't in the greatest mood, considering Dexter was his translator for those who didn't know sign language.

"OW! What was that for, Red Alert?" the detective dramatically cried out, earning himself another smack on the top of his head. Roman's partner, Logan Sanders looked up slowly, appearing slightly annoyed at the interruption, but with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. 

Roman looked  pleadingly at Logan, and the other sighed, glancing at the angry man in front of them. "What did he do this time, Pip?"

Angry gestures flew, Oliver's glasses sliding down his nose slightly. "This idiot is poisoning the minds of my partner and my son! I mean, I don't mind Danny that much, but I was just carried to work over Dexter's shoulder so I wouldn't hurt my pretty little feet! Blasphemy, I tell you!"

"Well, I'm afraid my idiot partner was just being himself, so it's their fault for acting like him." Logan's tone was light. The redhead wasn't sure if he had a soft spot for Oliver as well, or if he was just making fun of Roman, but all he managed was a huff and a scowl at very fanciful detective. 

Turning heel, he said, "Well he's a royal pain in my ass," which caused Logan to smirk. The mute detective found satisfaction in the fact, however, that Logan refused to tell his partner what he had said.

He sighed, opening his box of blueberry pancakes and digging in, smacking his lips every once and awhile. Rose made the best pancakes. Rose... 

It was Oliver's fault she started to go by her middle name. When his wife had died, he couldn't even hear her name without freezing and going into a panic attack. And sadly, his sister's name sounded just like her name. He didn't mind talking about his wife nowadays, but everyone avoided the topic like it was the plague, so they didn't realize he could handle it now. Danny was the only he could talk to about her. His seven year old son was a lot more intelligent than people thought. He even looked after his own father to make sure he's living right. Even after Oliver had come out of his depression bubble, Danny continued.

He opened his phone. On screen was a picture of his wife and their year old son, a couple months before her passing. The quiet man smiled. He missed her, sure, but he had moved on. He knew she'd be mad at him for taking this long, but her death had crushed him.

A text popped up on his screen.

> _Dexter: Ur on ur own today. New rmmate._
> 
> _Oliver: For the love of Zeus, please use proper English._
> 
> _Dexter: Nahhhhhh. Luv u. B safe._

Oliver sighed, standing up and stretching. There had been a series of break-ins on the other side of town, and the two of them had been looking into it. They had found a lead, one of which would have to be followed up on by the detective who couldn't speak. 

He hoped he wouldn't have to talk to anyone today.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was terrible. I'm so sorry. I suck at pacing, but I had to get it out of the way.
> 
> You'll see Oliver referred to as Pip a lot though, and that's because of his middle name; Pippin XD


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver finds himself in a predicament, Danny meets a new friend, and Rose has a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I typed so much I'm splitting this into two chapters XD I'm also REALLY tired, so that's another reason, lol.

"DIE YOU FIEND!" screamed the little boy, jabbing at the adult with a stick. Rose sat on a bench a little ways away, watching her co-worker and nephew fence each other with sticks they found. She scrolled through Tumblr, not finding anything interesting, but still waiting for her prince to rescue her. The evil king could win too, she supposed, but most likely not. No one could resist Danny's puppy dog face. She had to be to work soon, but needed Nicholas to message her. He was taking Danny for the rest of the day until her brother got off work.

Sighing, she ran her fingers through her dark auburn hair. Without looking closely at it, people might think she had black hair. It, thankfully, wasn't as much of a pain to take care of as Oliver's, but she wasn't a fan of her curls. The woman's phone finally buzzed with two new messages.

> Nicholas: Hey! We're all ready to take Danny off of your hands ;)
> 
> Lucas: Hey, are we still on for tonite?

Her face lit up, pink lightly dusting across it. She quickly replied to the first, trying to calm her nerves.

> Rose: What took you so long? I have to work soon!
> 
> Nicholas: We just got a new roommate, so please let Danny know. I don't want him to hide or anything.
> 
> Rose: New roommate? Well, okay, sure, but you better explain to this roommate about Danny wanting to find dragons.
> 
> Nicholas: LOL, I already explained it.
> 
> Rose: Okay :)

Rose stood up and stretched, waving the two boys over. "Alright, I got the okay to drop Danny off! Let's hurry up, Jaz and I don't want to be late for work!" Her phone went off again, making her glance down at it.

> Lucas: If you're still up for tonite, you get to choose where @ for dinner~
> 
> Rose: Hi! Sorry, dealing with my nephew. I'm still up for tonight but I really don't mind where we go <3

She couldn't stop grinning, so instead, she hid it behind her phone. Thankfully, Danny wasn't paying attention, more looking forward to a day at his godparents house. "And then we'll do a movie marathon! It's not a school night, so maybe I can even watch a scary movie!" He kept rambling to her co-worker, Jasper. Sometimes she forgot that he was only seven. He was extremely intelligent, and had to grow up so fast.

"Hush for a second, brat," she said fondly, "Dexter and Nicholas just got a roommate, so you have to make sure to behave yourself. Okay?" Her nephew nodded affirmative as he climbed into the car, buckling himself in while batting Jasper away. "I can do it myself!"

Rolling her eyes, Rose got into the driver's seat, and after making sure everyone was set, she took off towards the Knowles household. Her mind had started to wander by the time they pulled up, and she was grateful for the distraction of having to wrangle her brother's son up to the door, his energy being almost too much. Rose's hands were full, making her unable to knock, so she did the next best thing.

She kept banging the door with the bottom of her foot until they answered.

"Goodness Rose, calm yourself!" Dexter's voice was muffled and growing gradually louder until he threw open the door, glaring at her.

 _What a teddy bear, his glare isn't even intimidating_ , she thought. Then her eyes wandered upwards. "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK, MAN?! WHAT IS YOUR HAIR?!" Rose just about fainted from shock right then and there. Next thing she knew she was being ushered dragged to the car while screaming profanity at her brother's best friend. Who lets their hair get that wild?

Redmond peeked his head around the corner, concern etched onto his face. "Who... was that?"

"NEW PERSON!" A pink blur slammed into the man, knocking all breath out as he collapsed to the floor. Gasping, he checked to see what had slammed into him. The blur ended up being a small boy who looked about ten, with dark blue eyes and a million watt smile.

"H-hello?" Red stammered, clearly unsure of how to react to the boy. "What's your name?"

The boy beamed, brushing his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes. "My name is Danny! What's your name, mister?"

A smile broke out across his face, the man too overwhelmed by the kid's cuteness. "Why, hello Danny, my name is Redmond. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Nicholas burst out in laughter, startling the two on the floor. His husband was showing him something on his phone, and he rolled his eyes. "You know you can't leave him by himself for too long. You better go help him."

Dexter snickered, nodding as he grabbed his keys. "You three have fun! I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?"

"To rescue your father."

* * *

 

How had he gotten himself into this mess? Oh yeah... he lost his footing while helping someone fix their potted plants, and fell onto the mangled fencing below. Now he was covered in cuts and bruises.

That wasn't the issue, however. The issue for Oliver was his hair. More specifically, how his hair was tangled with fence, and he had no chance of freeing himself. So he decided to let his pride take a hit, and texted the two people he hoped could help him; Dexter and Roman. Then he just had to lay there, waiting for help like he was some goddamn damsel in distress. _Well, I am_ , he thought ruefully, _a damsel who's hair is caught in a fence... Oh my god, I have to cut my hair to get free_. A horrified expression stretched across his face. _Fuck_.

Over the past three years, Oliver had been growing his hair out, letting himself move passed his wife's death. And needless to say, he's grown attached to his long hair. He huffed, irritated, when he heard footsteps. He saw his partner coming at him with a pair of scissors, a gleeful light in his eyes. "Seems you got yourself into quite the pickle, Pipsqueak! Luckily for you, your savior has returned!" Dexter settled down by the hissing detective, taking his time to cut Oliver's hair out of the fence, giggling at every little snip, or every scowl shot in his direction. Eventually, Oliver was able to sit up, pouting as he did so.

And then, his pride took an even worse hit. "You look like shit!" He aimed his glare at Detective Prince, narrowing his eyes further. "Hey, no hitting me again! I was just pointing out the obvious and wanted to see if you'd like me to fix it!"

Oliver sighed and nodded, standing up. His back popped in several places, making him realize he had been lying there for a lot longer than he had originally thought. He signed to Dexter to relay to Roman, since he had no idea how much ASL the man knew, if he was being honest.

"Oliver says he knows you have hair stuff at your place, and would follow you there." Dexter smiled, then added his own statement. "I, however, need to go back home to keep an eye on the new tennant, so I'll see you ladies later!" He darted around the corner, effectively leaving Oliver alone with someone he didn't know very well.

The red haired man shrugged, looking up at Roman and making a gesture looking like "let's go", before shoving his hands in his pockets and waiting for the other detective to lead the way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fluffy evening, and Oliver opens up about something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **EDIT: I changed his name to Oliver so there's at least a little less confusion.
> 
> I NEED TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT MY CHARACTER'S NAME IS VIRGIL
> 
> THIS IS A PLATONIC FRIENDSHIP
> 
> THERE'S NO PRINCIETY
> 
> KAPICHE? XD

He trudged after the princely detective, absentmindedly rubbing the back of his head. His hair was so uneven, and he was hoping that Roman could fix it. The silence was awkward, but neither of them knew what to say. Oliver pushed up his glasses, eyeing the man in front of him. He was probably a foot taller than the unspoken male, and was well built. A slightly exaggerated comparison of the two is to say that Oliver was half his size, only standing at five feet plus a few inches and looking like a scrawny teen. It didn't matter that he had a swimmer's build, or had muscles to show for it. First glance would always make people assume he was a punk ass teenager. Imagine their shock to find that he was actually twenty-eight, and a detective, no less.

A raspy chuckle slipped out, causing the man he had been observing to look back at him. "You can make noise?" Roman asked, eyes wide. Not sure if he was being judged, Oliver held his hand out and motioned an "ish". Then his eyes lit up and he brought out his phone, texting Roman.

> O: I just realized texting is a thing, lol. My vocal cords are too damaged to speak, but I can make some sounds. You've never heard?

The other shook his head in awe, smiling warmly. "You have a nice laugh, no matter how small and quiet it is! But why can't you speak? Did you have an accident?" Curiosity lit up Roman's eyes before he looked away sheepishly, adding, "Sorry, you probably hate getting asked so many questions."

> O: Nahhh. I really don't mind. Thank you for the compliment. And I was born like this. It used to bother me, but I've grown to deal with it.

They kept up the friendly conversation of Roman asking him things, and Oliver responding with text, until they arrived at an apartment that the shorter of the two assumed to be Roman's place. Only to be proven wrong. "This is Logan's apartment, but I stay here quite often," he stated happily, producing a key out of his jacket pocket. "Most of my stuff is here, so it was easier than dragging you to my place."

Oliver's eyebrows shot up and he quickly tapped out another text. "Are you guys, like, together?"

Bubbly laughter emitted from the other man, a hearty grin across his face. "Heavens no! But he's my best friend, and I don't know what I'd do without him to be perfectly honest with you." Roman pushed open the door, and smirked. Before Oliver was able to react or even think of any possibly reason he was smirked at, Roman swept him off his feet and carried him bridal style into the apartment. The mute just sighed in defeat, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His partner did this on a regular basis, so he knew it was pointless to fight it at this point. Roman carefully sat the other on the couch, starting to dart seemingly randomly, getting them all set up. "Is there any you'd like to drink, Red Hot Chili Pepper?"

A huff was the princely detective's answer, so he turned to see Oliver holding his fingers in the form of a 'T' and a questioning look on his face. "Milk and sugar?" Oliver's face lit up at Roman being able to understand him, and nodding happily. Roman started to heat the water, then went into the bedroom, coming back out with a pair of sweats and a shirt. "Here," he offered sheepishly, "your clothes are a mess, and I don't want you to be uncomfortable while you're visiting." Oliver smiled and signed "thank you" which he had hoped the other understood.

He headed into the bathroom that had been pointed out earlier and slipped into the new clothes, wincing as he saw all the cuts and scrapes from the fall. Making a face that was a mix of discomfort and pain, he let himself examine the clothes Princey had picked out for him. Dark grey sweatpants that hung loosely off of his hips, even though he had tightened the string as much as he could, and a lovely pink and white crop top. Oliver was slightly surprised at the top, but he was positively in love with it. It was slightly big on him, which caused one side to slip off his shoulder. The sleeves hung around his elbows, and bottom cut off right above his belly button. He twirled slightly, blushing. Damn his feminine side. Part of him was hoping that Roman would just let him keep these, because damn, cute AND comfy? It was a must have outfit.

> He snapped a selfie and sent it to Danny, asking if he wanted to go shopping on Oliver's next day off. His son's response was nearly instantaneous.
> 
> Sunshine: OMG YOU LOOK GOOD PAPA
> 
> Sunshine: I can't wait to go shopping!
> 
> Sunshine: I miss our days out.
> 
> Oli: Sorry kiddo, it's just a stressful month. I promise, next day off that I get, we can go shopping. Maybe you can see if you can get Roman to come with, since I'm sure he'd love to pick out more clothes for me.
> 
> Sunshine: The Great Prince Roman?! YEEEEEEEEES

Oliver rolled his eyes. He absolutely adored his son, and surprisingly, Danny seemed to be the only one aware of his homosexuality and femininity.

Exiting the bathroom, he shuffled over to the couch shyly, only to be herded to the kitchen. "We're cutting your hair in here! I don't want to vacuum the carpet!" Roman posed dramatically, as if he were about to faint, making the other giggle. He was still really nervous about cutting his hair, but he couldn't turn back now, because Roman had already picked up the scissors and set to work.

The kitchen was quiet, the only sounds that could be heard were snips from the scissors, and Oliver's constant huffing, trying to blow the hair out of his face. Okay, maybe his hair was a bit too long. Finally, Roman stepped back to admire his work, and the smaller detective turned gesturing to his bangs. He had left his phone on the couch, so he did the best gesturing he could. His colleague seemed to understand and started to work on the bright red bangs, making them so they just barely covered his light blue eye. Oliver gave Roman a thumbs up, watching the other's eyes light up as his chest puffed up. The two of them set to work cleaning the kitchen, because it was still Logan's apartment, and even though he wasn't sure about Roman's feelings, Oliver knew for a fact that Detective Sanders terrified him.

* * *

 

Oliver snorted, weakly batting the fanciful man away, but to no avail. "YOU WOULD LOOK SO COOL WITH THIS ON I PROMISE!" And then he was tackled to the couch. All of this because of makeup. A wheezing laugh broke out, Oliver unable to contain himself any longer. He grabbed a hair clip and pinned back his hair, avoiding Roman's gaze. He very rarely showed his eyes, but he hadn't had this much fun in a long time. He tucked his hands beneath him and crossed his fingers, hoping to not be judged.

"Oh, um... wow..." Uh oh, he doesn't like them. Oliver ducked his head, but felt Roman's hand bring his chin up. What he wasn't expecting was the grin and excited eyes. "Your eyes! They're so magnificent! I do not believe I've ever seen mismatching eyes in person before." Oliver blushed, his face almost matching his hair.

Roman held a little twinkle of amusement in his eyes, cocking an eyebrow at the punk detective. "Is this why you always wear different socks?" Sheepishly, the mute nodded, typing up his answer.

> O: My son usually picks out my clothes because he's the fashionista of the family. It's a little joke for him, and I love it.

He sat a little straighter, smiling at the thought of his son.

> O: He's just like his mother! So wonderfully talented and smart, y'know?

His co-worker tensed up slightly, and Oliver knew why. He had mentioned his wife. But he had to bring her up sometime. so then maybe everyone else would be more at ease with the topic.

> O: Do you have a laptop? Typing on my phone is annoying, and I don't necessarily have to look at the computer while typing, so you can still do my makeup.

At the word makeup, Prince darted off the couch, grabbing his makeup bag and laptop without a word. His face said it all though. He was curious about Oliver's wife and wanted to learn more, plus the thought of being able to do someone's makeup just about made Roman's day. Settling back down in front of him, Roman because to do the other's eyes while he began to type.

_"She was the sweetest woman I've ever met. We both came from religious families, and found comfort in the fact that we dealt with the same things. Eventually, it turned into love, and we got married right out of high school. Pressure from our families ended with us having Danny, and even though we weren't romantic, she was still my best friend, and, dare I say it, soulmate. The day I lost her... Well, I haven't been the same since, but I've gotten better. A drunk driver had been speeding, and collided into the side of our car. Thankfully, Danny wasn't with us, and I was told she died instantly, so at least she hadn't been in pain."_

Oliver took a slightly shaky breath, seeing Roman gaze at him, concerned, but he smiled and continued to type. _"_

_I was absolutely devastated. I was only twenty-two, I had no idea how to be a father, and I had just been accepted into the academy to become a detective. It's like... my whole life had been put on pause. My sister had to come help, and she had to start going by her middle name so I wouldn't have a panic attack. Her name sounded like my wife's. Danny grew up to see an empty shell of a man, and made it his life goal, according to him, that he would protect me from demons. It took two years for me to even start my training, but when I did, I was sure she would have been proud of me, so I kept going. Now, I can barely talk about her without everyone switching topics because they're afraid they're going to trigger me. It doesn't help me move on..."_

Roman had just finished his eyes, and he smiled apologetically, handing the man back his laptop, word document open. Oliver had never typed anything so fast, so now his fingers were cramping up. "Oh Pip... I had no idea... My deepest apologies..." The man looked like he was about to cry, and he wasn't sure why Roman had apologized. They sat silently for a few moments, until Roman sat back, looking at his co-worker. "Weren't romantic? What does that mean?"

Oliver stared at him, dumbfounded. And then he realized something that caused him to groan and cover his face with his hands in embarrassment.

> O: Dude. I'm gay.

It was Roman's turn to stare. And suddenly Oliver was being attacked by the larger male, who peppered kisses all over his face and hugged him tightly. "OH MY GOODNESS, I'M SO HAPPY TO FIND ANOTHER GAY DETECTIVE!" Another one? Ohhh, wait, he meant Logan. Oliver smiled softly, stifling a yawn, before lazily typing out "Hey, do you like Disney?"

"Um, of COURSE I DO!" Roman bounced excitedly, his expression equal to a kid's on Christmas who had all their wishes come true.

> O: Disney marathon?

Maybe... Maybe he could get used to this... affection.

His cheeks had started to hurt from all the smiling, but he honestly didn't give a damn. Today had made him realize something. He was ready to move on.

* * *

 

When Logan came home that night, he was shocked to see not one, but two people curled up on his bed. Roman had his arm wrapped around the tinier detective, both sleeping soundly. Monsters Inc played on the laptop, indicating that Oliver's preference for Pixar had taken over.

Knowing that it was near impossible to wake Roman until he was ready to wake up, Logan sighed and got ready for bed, laying on the other side of Oliver. It was a tad bit awkward, even more so when that same man curled into Logan's chest, followed by Roman draping his arm and leg over both of them. Giving into his fate, he took off his glasses and eventually sucumbed to sleep.

Oliver would be the first to waken in the morning, with smudged eyeliner and over ten missed messages from Dexter. The panicking best friend aside, the two bodies cuddled up to him sealed his decision that, yes, he was in fact ready to move on, and that he had made at least one new friend.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HO BOI, THEY FINALLY SEE EACH OTHER

Sipping on a juice box, Redmond scrolled through the job listings on his phone, becoming increasingly frustrated. The small child named Danny was sprawled across his lap, snoring lightly. According to Nicholas, the precinct that his husband worked at had become a lot busier, meaning Danny needed to be babysat more. Not that Redmond minded, of course. The two of them had become friends, and listening to the seven year old ramble on had a calming effect on the older male.

Redmond learned almost everything about Danny in the short two weeks he had been staying at the Knowles household. What his mother was like, how excited he was for school to start, and his dad. The boy could go on about his dad forever, he was positive. And it was obvious that Danny was proud of his parent. He had apparently lost his wife to a car crash and fallen into a deep depression, but now he was a top detective. The thought caused Redmond to smile ruefully. He was twenty-eight, and the most successful thing he had ever done in his life was become a stripper. Which was funny, because when he was a child, all he had done was talk about becoming a secret agent, which grew into thoughts of being a detective. At least, that was his dream career until he had discovered his love for making coffee.

The little boy on his lap stirred, yawning. The ginger haired man glanced down and smiled warmly. These last few days, Danny had been talking about nothing other than surprising his father by calling him "dad". Danny caught his eye and grinned, shooting up and around the house. A ball of energy, as always.

A tug at his hands caused Redmond to break free from his thoughts. "Redmond, let's go get hot choco!" The tugging persisted, and the man knew he was powerless as soon as puppy eyes peered over the edge of the couch. Why was he such a sucker for this kid? It wasn't even his kid.

"Well, alright, but I barely have any money left, so it will have to be something small." He stood and stretched, allowing his back to pop. Shuffling to the door and shoving his shoes on, Redmond slipped on his bright teal and grey hoodie. Danny already had his usual magenta hoodie and black windbreaker on, hopping up and down enthusiastically. What an adorable child, he thought. Today the kid was wearing a pale yellow shirt and dark blue overalls, to which Redmond had taken to calling him "minion". "You ready to go, minion of mine?"

Danny giggled, the sound like windchimes on a warm sunny day. Too friggin' adorable... "Of course I am! And I know the perfect place!"

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Come on, I'll show you!" Once again grabbing Redmond's hand, the boy purposefully marched out the door and down the street, barely allowing time to lock up the house. Despite having longer legs, the man struggled to keep up. The smell of apple cinnamon captured his nose, and he was quite pleased to find that it was coming from the direction he was being lead in.

A bell dinged as the door opened of the Pat-isserie, which was an odd name choice, if he had to make an opinion about it. "UNCLE PAT!" Danny screeched, causing Redmond to wince at the loud noise. The scene that greeted him made him chuckle. Thoughts that he'd never find anyone as affectionate as Danny were torn apart as he saw a fairly clumsy man clad in blue rush over to receive the hug Danny had waiting. 

Then Redmond's heart stopped. Sitting off to the side, across from a mess of hair that undeniably belonged to Dexter was the man that had, in a single sentence, brought his world crashing down twelve years ago. He stiffened slightly, but managed to make his way to the counter, noticing the burning stare. Passing by, Redmond had managed to note that a few things had changed. The man's body posture, more jewelry than before, he now wore glasses, and the nervous tick where he bounced his leg still remained, although it seemed worse. A few things had remained the same. Hiding one of his eyes, his unruly red hair, and the same pale skin. It didn't seem that he grew much though. 

"PAPA!" A clatter behind him made him turn, making his stomach sink. This man was the one Danny wouldn't shut up about? But... there wasn't anything good about him. He was just an asshole, a heartbreaker. Looking for a distraction, ANYTHING, Redmond turned to the employee who had greeted Danny earlier.   
  
"Excuse me," he asked, his voice sounded feeble, "do you know if, by any chance, the owner is hiring?"

The man's eyes lit up, and it was then that Redmond noticed the flour covering half of his face. "That's me! I'm your friendly pappy Patton! What can I do for you, kiddo?"

I'm probably older than you, Redmond thought. "I was looking for a job? I know a fair bit of baking, and I used to own a coffeeshop, so I was hoping there was an application I could fill out? I think I could be a good addition to your team." He tried sounding confident, but he could feel stares directed at him, and he started to rub his arm self-consciously. 

"You're hired! You're Redmond Drop, right?" Patton already had him pulled into a hug that Redmond shyly returned. He opened his mouth to speak but Patton rambled on. "Dexter has been telling me about what a wonderful job you've been doing with Danny, and any friend of Danny's is a friend of mine!" His excited squeal at the end of his statement caused the other to glance back at Dexter, a bewildered look on his face. His roommate just gave him a thumbs up, and the redhead next to him smiled, which elicited a scowl from Redmond before turning back to Patton. He pretended that he hadn't noticed his enemy's face fall, because it was just his mind playing tricks on him, right?

A chair scraped back, the doorbell rang, and Danny let out a little sigh that broke Redmond's heart. He shook his head, smiling at Patton, who seemed unaware of what had transpired. "Alright, so when do I start?"

* * *

Oliver ducked into the alley behind the cafe, angrily wiping tears away. He sucked in a breath, trying to calm himself. It had been twelve years and he still hadn't forgiven him.

When the doorbell had rung earlier, he had been shocked to see his son dart in, but he had been even more shocked to see his childhood friend trail right behind. And lord help him, Redmond had become even more handsome these past years. But Oliver wasn't blind. He saw the way his former friend carried himself. He had not had a good life since the detective had left the picture. Faint bruises on his wrist indicated some form of altercation, and knowing how his friend was back then, Oliver was willing to bet it was from a romantic partner.

The thought of someone who Redmond clearly loved hurting him struck a nerve with the punk detective. Sure, he was being a bit hypocritical, but comparing what he had said years ago, something he had been forced to say, to something someone chose to do, well, Oliver had no words.

A crack sounded, and the man stared numbly at his now bleeding fist, his gaze trailing slowly to the wall he had punched. A sob racked his body, and he slowly sunk to the ground, bringing up his knees to his chest and hugging them. There were only two things in his life that he had regretted ever since they had happened. The first was insisting that they had to go to the 7:30 pm showing of a new movie, and what he had said to his former best friend.

> _"W-wait, Oliver, what are you saying?" The pain in his voice was extremely clear._
> 
> _Turning a cold look on his friend, Oliver signed the most destructive sentences he'd ever had the displeasure of having to say. "I'm sorry, I don't_ like _you. I'm not even gay. I just felt bad for you. Now leave me alone, okay?" Not even sparing a glance behind him, the mute teen spun and walked briskly in the opposite direction, ignoring the fact that every time his best friend's sobs rang out, his heart shattered further._

He wasn't sure what time it was, but by the time Oliver was broken out of his trance, it had grown dark. A little too dark for his liking, which caused the man to curl in on himself further.

Logan examined him closely, noting the tear streaks down his colleague's face, the dark blue and purple hand covering in dried blood, and the vacant look in the man's eyes. Sighing, he pulled Oliver to his feet, nodding to Roman. "He can stay with us tonight. I need to go see if Detective Knowles knows anything about what happened."

* * *

By the time Oliver had finally snapped out of it, he had the warm bodies of Logan and Roman curled around him. It had become a common thing if they had seen him in distress, but he hadn't slept in a cuddle pile since the Fence Incident, and while it helped, it cracked his heart even more because he longed for the arms around him to be those of the person he loved for the past eighteen years.

He had never stopped loving him, and he had hoped the other had caught onto that with his wording, but it seems like he hadn't, because after all of these years, Redmond still hated him.

_Hate._

The opposite of love.

Oliver clung to Roman as he started to weep against the larger detective's chest. He cried until he couldn't breath, until he couldn't cry anymore. Once he had cried everything out, he fell into a restless sleep, filled with heartbreak and bruises.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not apologizing for the angst. XD You'll get more backstory in chapters to come.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a few days, but Redmond has already memorized his job by heart, and the regulars (which is partly thanks to Patton), so he's surprised to see a regular break from his routine, and the state he's in.
> 
> Oliver? Well he's just been dealing with feels and the persistent calling of the Megabitch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: Cussing, of course, maybe some feels if y'all are allergic, homophobic comments, more insults, more feels. If there's anything you feel the need to be tagged, lemme know!
> 
> Finally, a Redmond centric chapter? ^.^ I hope y'all like it.

It's already been three- no, four- days since Redmond started working at the Pat-isserie, and he had already come to memorize the schedule of regulars, the way things were done, and noted things that he should bring up to Patton about working on, or adding. His first day introduced him to some of the most frequent regulars to populate the cafe; the whole precinct. Specifically, he had been introduced to Detective Sanders and Detective Prince, who both eyed him with caution. Redmond couldn't say he blamed the two of them. He had, after all, been hired on the spot, and he had heard about the break in caused by a local gang.

His phone lit up with a text from his brother, Rhys. They were twins, but they looked nothing alike. Swiping his phone, he saw that his family was planning a get together, and grimaced. His parents were pretty strict when he was a kid, and expected great things from all of them. If they were to find out he had completed medical school, and hadn't pursued a career... _No_ , he thought, shaking his head, _I opened up my own business and maintained it for four years. They have to be proud of that._

Redmond was a middle child in a family of seven. Going in order of oldest to youngest, it went Robin, Regina, himself, Rhys, and little Rosie. Him and Rhys were the only boys, and so naturally, he knew things such as sewing and cooking. Helpful talents, he admitted, especially when you went to college and couldn't afford much. Another text made his phone nearly buzz off of the counter, causing him to snatch it up.

> **Gina** : HEEEEEY LITTLE BRO~ YOU COMING TO THE FAMILY GATHERING?  
>  **Red** : Perhaps. What's in it for me?  
>  **Gina** : FREE FOOD AND YOU GET TO BE BLESSED BY MY PRESENCE OF COURSE~  
>  **Red** : Oh? Then I think I'll pass.  
>  **Gina** : OH SHUT UP. BESIDES, MA AND PA WANT TO MEET THIS MYSTERY MAN YOU'VE BEEN SEEING. YOU REFUSED TO BRING HIM LAST TIME.

Oh no... They didn't know about his breakup. And why did she keep using all caps? It's unbearable.

> **Red** : Oh, uh... About that.  
>  **Gina** : GREAT, WE'LL SEE YOU TWO THERE! :D  
>  **Red** : ... Gina...  
>  **Gina** : I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHO CAPTURED MY BROTHER'S HEART

The man threw his phone back down on the counter in frustration and redid his ponytail. Regina was an overly optimistic woman, but was also very... blind to things. It's better to give up now, and just show up, alone, like he had done last year. For a moment, he wondered if Danny would want to come, and then remembered who Danny's father was, which only soured his mood even more.

Part of him just wanted to forgive the damn redhead, but he was too stubborn. He knew twelve years was way too long to hold a grudge. Perhaps he should, at the very least, attempt to get along with his former friend, even if it's just for Danny. _Just Danny, not for any other reason_ , he thought quickly.

His thinking was cut off by the jingle of the door opening, and lo and behold, speak of the devil. The detective didn't even glance at him as he flopped on the couch, scrubbing at his face aggressively. Too aggressively, Redmond observed, pursing his lips. While he still held a grudge, he knew those signs all to well. If he had to assume, his new customer had just gotten off of the phone with his mother.

Hurriedly, the barista made a cup of chamomile tea, gagging ever so slightly at the amount of sugar, and grabbed a blueberry muffin. His favorite. Setting both the tea and muffin on the table next to the punk, he shoved the others feet off of the couch and sat down stiffly next to him. Redmond sighed, speaking before he could consider just ignoring the crying mess next to him.

"What did she want?" His voice wavered a little and sounded rough, but knew he had Oliver's attention when he had looked up in shock and confusion. Redmond tried again. "Your mother, you just got off the phone with her, right? What did the Megabitch want this time?" A nickname that Redmond had coined after watching the movie Drop Dead Fred, sure, but it fit her all the same.

A slight huff left Oliver, the corners of his mouth twitching up as he made one of his hands into a flattened "O" shape and smacked it against his other palm twice. Redmond's eyebrows knitted together as his eyes narrowed. Money. Of course she wanted money. Oliver added, "How did you know it was her?"

The ginger glanced over at the smaller man next to him. "We were best friends for sixteen years, Oliver, I know the signs," he stated nonchalantly. "What else did she want? I know you, and I know that woman who likes to call herself a mother."

Oliver looked down and spelled out a few letters, instantly causing Redmond to growl. "No. Absolutely not. If you _EVER_ let that bitch near your kid, I swear to all the gods that I'll never forgive you." His outburst caused the detective to recoil noticeably, and he took a deep breath to calm himself, shifting so he was facing Oliver. "Look, you may have done some terrible shit in the past, stuff that I'm still working past-" the detective hung his head "-but Danny? I love that energetic little shit, okay? He's an adorable, smart, gifted kid, and I don't want him to be tainted by Satan herself. Danny is the reason I'm even willing to work things out with you. God, why do you even keep in contact with your mom? You know she's toxic!"

"Satan wishes he could be that evil..." the gestures said, and Redmond's look hardened.

"Stop avoiding the question, Oliver Frey."

Oliver fidgeted. His fingers picked at the cuff of his worn out jeans, and finally, Redmond had had enough. Snatching the other's phone away, he swiftly unlocked the phone and scrolled through the message history. His dark blue eyes widened in horror at the things she had said, most of which blamed Oliver for losing "the only one who would ever care for" him, going on about he was going to hell for liking men, and going on about how much his wife had been a slut. It made his blood boil. He knew Anna Watson. He knew about the arranged marriage between her and his best friend. _How dare this woman paint that sweet angel in such a horrible like that?_ He continued reading, before finally turning off the screen.

One glimpse at Oliver showed that the detective had curled in on himself, and Redmond looked at him. Like, really looked at him. The man's hair was even more disheveled than usual, his clothes looked rumpled, and even his eyes seemed duller. And then Redmond's eyes were drawn to the bandaged hand, his only thought wondering if that was his fault.

Making a split decision, he scooted closer and wraps his arms around the other's shoulders, the physical contact feeling foreign to him. He felt Oliver stiffen next to him, and he briefly wondered if he had gone too far, but then Oliver melted into his touch, fresh tears spilling over his cheeks as Redmond held him close, his thumb rubbing slow circles on his arm, and running a hesitant hand through the wild red hair.

Redmond had no idea how long they sat like that, but he had only noticed Oliver had fallen asleep when Patton walked in, followed by the loud noise that was Roman Prince, and a softer voice that sounded like scolding. The small detective just shifted closer, burying his face into the crook of Redmond's neck, sighing softly. He didn't even wake up when Roman and Patton simultaneously squealed. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Detective Sanders, _Logan was his name, right?_ , pulling out his phone and snapping a photo.

It was then that Redmond realized Oliver hadn't said those things out of hate, he had said them to protect him, and the guilt weighed heavily. He could only imagine how Oliver felt after he had been treated with such coldness from the barista, and Redmond vowed to fix things. Not just for Danny anymore, but for himself as well.

The long haired man yawned, pulling the detective closer in the process. They were basically cuddling at this point, but Redmond didn't mind. Soon, Dexter was shaking him awake. When had he fallen asleep? His mind could barely make an coherent thoughts, but he knew in the back of his mind he had been moved. His side suddenly felt cold, and he made a disgruntled noise, eyes still heavy from sleep. How long had he been asleep?

A chuckle made him blink. Oliver sat in front of him, hair sticking out in places, holding a hand out to the sleepy barista. He didn't need to sign anything for Redmond to get the message. They were going to get him home. Red and blue blurred in his vision, and took Oliver's hand, standing and almost immediately slumping over onto the pink and gray clad detective. "Home with you..." he mumbled. He hadn't noticed how touch-starved he was.

Oliver tensed at his words, before smiling a little and nodding. Dexter said something, but he was too tired to understand what he was saying. He could only pay attention to how the ground suddenly disappeared, and the arms around him. They weren't the same as the arms from earlier, and he pouted. Dexter's chest rumbled with a deep laughter as he carried the tired barista out of the door.

He felt soft sheets around him. Had he fallen back asleep? Mm, that warmth was back again, making Redmond feel fuzzy and content. He wrapped his arms around the warmth happily, making a noise of relaxation as he drifted back to sleep.

* * *

 

Oliver felt his former friend's body curl around his as he fell back asleep, leaving Oliver to think about the events that had transpired. It was clear that Redmond loved Danny, and was willing to work through things with the detective because of that. It had utterly shocked both him and Dexter when the barista insisted on going home with him, and how quick he was to keep in physical contact with him. The train of thought brought him back to the faint bruises he had noticed on his wrists when Oliver first saw him after twelve years. Exactly how bad was his last relationship? Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the man who was cuddled up to him.

Reaching around, Oliver gently tugged the hair tye out of Redmond's hair, smiling as the warm orange hair fell, framing his face. His breathing had evened out, and in that moment, Oliver realized he'd never seen the other like this and became entranced. He soaked in every detail, even the little scar beneath his left eye, Oliver vaguely wondering where he had gotten that, and lightly ran his hands through the pumpkin colored locks, and when Redmond sighed happily and snuggled even closer, the detective realized once again how much he actually loved the man next to him and finally let a small smile grace his lips.

Tugging the blanket over them, he removed his glasses and curled into the taller male's arms, finally content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOO 
> 
> I'm so sorry for such a long wait, you guys! A couple people where I work quit, and I've been working some overtime! This is my first day off in a week. ^////^


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day? You bet! I had a huge inspiration kick when I saw the original fic updated!
> 
> Warnings: Angst, blood, beatings, knives, choking, cursing, hint at non-consenting sexual acts.

Redmond balances on the edge of the curb, arms outstretched as he tiptoed along. He told Dexter and Oliver he could pick up the little minion from his first day of school today, but that was a couple of hours away, and the man felt too antsy to really stay still or inside. Oliver avoided the topic of the day before, seeming incredibly nervous and shy. The long haired male couldn't blame him. The whole situation was unexpected, and from what he was able to gather (because he couldn't remember much), he had asked to go home with the detective. When he had woken up this morning, he felt better than he had in ages, so perhaps him being so touch-starved wasn't really a shocker.

The things he could remember, though, brought a smile to his lips. Waking up, the first thing he had seen was the small detective cuddled up against his chest. The sight was absolutely breathtaking, from the way the man's fingers had latched onto his shirt, to the way the sun turned his hair into fire, the flames lazily flickering in every direction. Redmond could see the stars in his freckles that dusted across his cheeks and nose, and quietly mapped out full constellations. Gently carding his fingers through the cherry red hair allowed him to see the platinum blonde and dark brown roots starting to show. Even after all these years, Oliver still kept his hair dyed a pristine crimson, taking great care of it to make sure that it stayed soft and manageable. To anyone who didn't know the man, they'd probably think this was his natural hair color.

Oliver also had a nice, slim build, hiding muscles under the lean exterior, reminding the man of a cat, powerful with a sleek frame, able to silently stalk its prey. He had run his fingers lightly down Oliver's arms, breath catching as he felt the familiar raises in skin. The detective's arms were decorated with an array of crisscrossing scars, all different lengths and sizes. Tears stung the backs of his eyes because in the sixteen years that he had known the redhead, there had only ever been a couple here and there, and they had always faded within a few months. Those? Those weren't fading any time soon.

Running his hands through his loose hair, Redmond checked his phone, sighing dejectedly as he saw the time. Still an hour and fourty-three minutes to go. He let his feet carry him to the cafe. Going inside wasn't his plan, however, as he stepped into the alley and grasped at the ladder. Laying on the rooftops helped him think his entire life, and right now, he needed to think.

For example, what was he going to do about Oliver? He certainly didn't hold a grudge now. Once he had realized that his mom had been the reason Oliver had said those harsh words, all of his anger and hurt melted away. And to see how that bitch still had a hold of him to this day made him protective. He remembered the pain in those mismatched eyes. He knew that pain. That was the pain of loving someone who, quite obviously, didn't love you back. Redmond had felt it with his ex. But Oliver? He'd been dealing with that pain for twenty-eight years, unable to cut ties with the mom he tried so hard to impress, only to be met with disappointment and rejection for who he was. The texts Redmond had seen the day before had shown him more than enough.

A buzzing from his pocket let him know it was time to go pick up Danny. It was only a short walk to the school, thankfully, because Redmond's car was still at Dexter's, all the way across town. As he walked, he found his mind drawn back to Oliver. More specifically, how gorgeous he was, and how the barista could get him to keep smiling, because dammit, if Oliver's smile wasn't the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, then he didn't know what was. The tall man's heart melted, just a little, as he realized just what the detective was to him. Even after all of these years, he still loved the redhead, and never realized it.

Spotting the familiar black winderbreaker with yellow stripes, he waves and broke out into a smile. "I'm over here, little minion!" Redmond called, bracing himself as kid turned into a blur that shot straight towards him. Laughing, he sidestepped and scooped up Danny, who was giggling hysterically.

"Red! I didn't know you were picking me up!" The man in question raised his eyebrows, taking in the paint covered seven year old, chuckling.

"Well, surprise, minion, you're stuck with me all day until your Aunt Rose picks you up for that sleepover. And you want to know what I was thinking? That maaaaybe, you and I, Danny, could be lazy and watch Disney. Even order some of that Chinese food that you love, hm?" Seeing the kid squirm with excitement and start to ramble on about his day, he decided he made up his mind on where him and Oliver stood.

* * *

The first thing Oliver noticed when he walked in was Roman's eyes. They were tinged red, an obvious sign of tears. And then he tripped. Within earshot of the desk, thankfully. Jake helped the smaller detective up, smiling gratefully and glancing back at Roman and Logan. It took everything Oliver had to not flinch away from the stoic detective. Normally, Detective Sanders never radiated this much anger. It was unnerving. He caught the name "Virgil Raine" as he walked away.

Hastily, he brought up records for the name, and sure enough, there was one currently detained in one of the holding cells. And from the looks of it, this was the wildcat he had heard Roman talking about to Logan. The pieces fit together. Roman's state of mind, Logan's anger. Oliver's deduction? Both were too emotional to deal with this properly. Snatching up the whiteboard and red marker he usually carried around, the tiny detective stalked out of the office, headed straight to the holding cells, lips pursed.

Logan cared a lot for his partner, and was overprotective. Roman was blinded by an infatuation with this gang member. Rather simple. The purple sneakers came to a halt outside a cell, and the blue and silver eyes came into contact with the same eyes from Patton's bakery. An emotionless face met the sneering one, and soon the gang member faltered. Oliver cocked his head, his intense stare causing the criminal to shrink back. He wrote on his whiteboard, showing it to the man in the cell. "Why are you here?"

Apparently, this man wasn't as much of a hardened criminal as he thought because swiped at Oliver through the bars, and immediately went to the back of the cell as the detective easily dodged and continued to stare him down. The red haired man caught the word "traitor" and smiled, waving cheerfully and walking away, knowing full well the look of confusion on the criminal's face.

Oliver could just barely make out sobbing from one of the cells, and peered in. Aha, there you are, little wildcat, Oliver thought, quickly stepping inside as he assessed the condition of this cell's inhabitant. The first thing he noticed was the large, handshaped bruise on the young man's neck. Next, the split lip and bruise that stretched across his cheek. Virgil shrank further against the wall, and the detective could see the terror in his eyes.

So Detective Frey did something that the other didn't expect; he sat right on the floor across from Virgil, legs crossed as the marker flew across the board. "What happened?" it said.

The gang member just eyed him fearfully before curling back up. Oliver's eyes traveled to the wall next to Virgil's head. Specks of blood on the wall. His eyes narrowed, remembering Roman's bandaged hand. Well, this week was just the week for punching walls. He connected the dots quickly. His best guess was that Virgil had planned on selling out the gang, based on the other member's mention of traitors, and said gang member told both Logan and Roman all about how Virgil was using the younger detective. It was all quite obvious. Divide and conquer tactic. A misunderstanding. But Oliver knew that without proof, neither of the other detectives would listen to reason, which, hilariously, was illogical, as Logan would often say. Scribbling on his whiteboard again, he held it out for the other to read, smiling gently.

Virgil stared at the whiteboard in shock and opened his mouth to speak, yet nothing could come out. But the detective saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes and smiled wider, standing up. He fished around in his pocket, bringing forth a cinnamon candy he always kept with him for stress. Unwrapping it, he held it out to the wildcat and, once the other finally took it and popped it into his mouth, smirked warmly, holding a fingering to his lips.  _Our little secret_ , it conveyed.

* * *

Oliver shivered. It had started to rain a bit ago, and his hiding place wasn't exactly sheltered from the cold, wet drops. Luckily for him, he had managed to sneak into the Scorpions' hideout. Unfortunately, he was now surrounded with no way to escape. They had no idea he was here, but there was no way he'd leave without getting caught. At least, that's how it  _was_.

His phone started to buzz, alerting the convicts. "Who's phone was that?"

"What do you mean? That's not my phone."

"Jimmy I swear to god..."

"It's not me!"

Suddenly, the voices got closer. Fuck.

"Hey, looky here! We got ourselves an intruder! Boss, come look!" Oliver found himself face to face with a drug addicted gang member leering at him. Oliver made and unimpressed face and stood straight, brushing himself off. He had to pretend that this didn't bother him, the fact he was surrounded by more people than he could take on. He thanked the heavens he had time to send the audio file to Logan and hide his phone. He had managed to record enough proof that Virgil was in fact innocent, as well as gather info about the gang itself. The detective wasn't all that sure that the file had gone through, but that wasn't his main concern right now. His main concern was the towering man who was making his way through the criminals. His arms were covered in tattoos of naked women and scorpions, and there was a trashy teardrop tattoo underneath his left eye. Oliver could tell by the way the man carried himself that he was the leader.

The detective fought the urge to take an involuntary step back, opting for a warning snarl. "What are you, a little kitten? Do you really think you're intimidating?" The man stood a good foot and a half above the detective as he mocked him, the laugh carrying a threat. He made a motion and in a blink of an eye, Oliver deflected the blows of two gang members and grounded them. The two groaned on either side of him, and the leader's look darkened.

"Kick his ass, Hector!" a voice yelled from the back, causing a deadly glint to appear in the man's eyes.  _Uh-oh, this isn't good..._

The leader, who was apparently called Hector, grabbed the detective's tie, yanking him close to inspect his face. Rather than reward him with the terror he expected, Oliver spit in his face, a lopsided grin springing to life on his face. His show of defiance only resulted in the man's large hand closing in around his throat.

Oliver was hoisted up off the ground and shoved against the wall behind him. Black dots swarmed his vision and he clawed at the hand that held him captive, attempting to breath. His feet started to kick wildly, fear setting in. One of his feet landed on his captive’s chest, causing the latter to loosen his grip just enough for Oliver to inhale some of that sweet, sweet air.

He gasped as a force spread across his face, dazing him. The pain that set in a few moments later made him realize that Hector had decked him. Taking a command from some unseen signal, the gang set on him like a pack of wolves. The small male let out a small whimper, his mouth running dry as the members pummeled him. Through the pain, he managed to assess the injuries with a (somewhat) clear head.  _At least two broken ribs and a shit ton of bruises_. He felt his hair grabbed and the ground rushed at him. He tried to focus.  _One concussion_.

Vaguely grasping at some form of comprehension, Oliver was dragged upright. His shirt had been ripped slightly during the scuffle, and the members holding him snickered with glee at see what their leader had in store for the intruder.

A flash caught Oliver’s eye. A knife. He settled a defiant gaze on the holder of the weapon, the leader looking back at him with a malicious glint in his eyes. Oliver wouldn’t show him any sort of weakness. He felt the blade along the side of his neck, and in one swift movement, the choker he had been wearing fell to the ground. Blood trickled down, but the detective refused to give in, breathing in and out calmly. “Mm, you’re a tough cookie to crack, aren’t you?” The leader chuckled, pacing in front of the other, like a cat toying with its food.

Oliver just continued to maintain an even, cold gaze, unable to speak, but not really caring. The threatening man in front of him cut open the front of his shirt even more, dragging the knife across his bare chest lightly. “Perfect,” he muttered lovingly.

Pain erupted as the gang leader suddenly started to carve into Oliver’s chest, causing a few whimpers. “What a pretty boy you are. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to have some fun after all..."

Finally, the fear Oliver had been keeping at bay crept into his eyes as they widened, the implications obviously as Hector grabbed his face and planted a hard kiss to the detective's lips. He struggled in vain, but as the imposing character grew closer for comfort, he understood that he wasn't getting out of it. He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth.

* * *

Roman glanced down as his phone buzzed, not really caring. That day's events had left him dealing with a cacophony of feelings, the most dominant feeling being relief. Relief that his wildcat- Virgil- was in safe hands. That was something he'd have to get used to. A quick swipe showed him that it was Oliver. Opening the text, the princely detective frowned, eyebrows knitting together. An address?

Another text.

Detective Prince inhaled sharply, whispering urgently as to not wake the frail beauty next to him. "Logan, get your ass dressed, we need to leave right now!

"What? Why?" Logan walked from the bathroom, shoulders tense at the tone of his partner's voice.

Roman simply showed him the phone, Logan's face paling before he stiffened, swiftly throwing on his jacket.

Neither of them, in the years they had worked with the mute detective, had they ever received a text like that from Oliver. It meant he was in severe trouble.

The young detective stared down at the text, his mind going a million miles an hour. He felt a hand on his, tugging him along. Roman continued to go through all the worse possible scenarios, hoping to god that none of them was true. Logan sped the whole way there, his knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel.

> **Oliver** : plshlpme

* * *

 

Lights blinded him, making him even dizzier as he dragged himself a couple more inches. He felt arms grab him gently, mentioning something about the hospital. What hospital? Why did he need to go to the hospital? His head rolled back, illiciting a small whimper from the contact with the gash in his head. Why did he hurt so much? He felt arms around him, and he latched on, only feeling terror.

"Shh, Oliver, you're going to be okay..." A couple of drops fell on his face, and sharps gasps filled the car. He wondered why...

* * *

 

There, on the small detective's chest, was a crudely carved scorpion.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DYLAN IS BACK YOU GUYS MWUHAHAHAHAHA
> 
> Sorry, depression hit me like a truck going at light speed.
> 
> But we're back :D

Danny sat in one of the chairs of the cafe, drawing in his book while Redmond worked. The man had been sleeping on the couch after a movie marathon with his minion when they'd gotten the call from Roman. More specifically, the child had gotten the call and immediately started crying.

They weren't allowed to visit Detective Frey. According to the doctors, his condition was too severe to allow any visitors aside from the detectives that brought him in. He would never admit it, but a pit had settled at the bottom of Redmond's stomach, and only grew with each day they weren't allowed to visit. Oliver's sister, Lyana, had given him permission to pull Danny out of school. With both Dexter and herself working all the time, Redmond was acting as temporary guardian of the energetic boy, not that he minded.

* * *

"Hello. I'm here to let you know that Daniel Evans is going to be out of school for the next two weeks." Redmond tugged at his collar. He had major anxiety about things like this, but it was necessary at this time. The secretary held up a finger to signal that she'd be a moment, and disappeared. She reappeared a moment later with paperwork and smiled, motioning to fill it out. He did, including his phone number and other proper information.

The woman smiled again. "He's with his teacher in room 103, you can head down there to pick him up. First hall on the right." Turning back to her computer, where Redmond was convinced she was playing minesweeper, he could see that she was no longer any help to him. Following her directions, he arrived at a childishly decorated door marked "103" in horribly cut out numbers.

He pushed the door open, stopping in shock as he stared at the teacher. "Rhys?"

His twin brother glanced up from his desk, and upon seeing his other half, scrambled out of his chair and attempted to stand upright. "R-Redmond! Why on Earth are you here? Last Mom said you were still a single pringle!" His voice squeaked, and Redmond couldn't help but smile in amusement.

They were complete opposites. Having both Hispanic and German in their family, they came out looking entirely different. Rhys had pale green eyes, deep chocolate brown hair, and had some of the darker skin in the family. Redmond had his ginger hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, though it had darkened a bit since the last family reunion. He was also taller, despite being the younger twin.

Clearing his throat, he raised an eyebrow. "I'm here to pick up Danny."

Right on cue, the customary pink blur crossed the room and slammed into the man, who had thankfully braced himself.

Rhys stared in confusion. "But that's not your kid."

"Yeah I am!" Danny quipped, sticking his tongue out at his teacher. "This is my honorary Papa!"

As Redmond's face turned beet red, his twin started to guffaw. "LOOK AT THAT! I ended up being the responsible one in the family, despite all my piercings! Take that Gramps!"

"Ugh, enough Snotface." The barista picked up Danny, and with his other hand, flipped the teacher the V. "Danny is my minion and nothing more. But I have to get to work."

The teacher pouted. "Alright ya poof, get outta here. But you have to come back to get his homework, so you can't avoid me forever." In a very immature move, the man stuck his tongue out obnoxiously. Redmond rolled his eyes and turned, waving behind him and stalking out the door.

Once they had made it to the street, the boy on his hip spoke up. "Are you worried about Dad?" The sentence made the blue eyed man both happy and sad. Danny had been practicing on calling Oliver Dad, and was getting used to it. On the other hand, hell yeah was he worried. "Of course I am, kiddo... I'm more worried than your dad shall ever know, because if you tell him, I'll kill both of you."

"Do you love him?" Redmond stopped and studied Danny's face. There was a long pause before he responded. "Y'know what...? Yeah, yeah I do." Cars went back and forth passed them, but time seemed to hold still.

Eventually, the boy squirmed out of his grasp to the ground, then pointed in front of him. "Kneel so I can look at you please." The man rolled his eyes but obliged, getting to one knee and hunching down so he could be at eye level. Danny eyed him closely. "I want the truth. Do you love my dad?" He seemed so determined, and there was something he was after, but Redmond couldn't figure it out. "Yes. I love your dad very much." Without responding, Danny pulled the necklace from beneath his shirt, clenching something in his hand. "No talking. Please just do this? I need you to close your eyes and hold out your hand."

The older male couldn't help but give a slight eyeroll at the fact he was being told what to do by a seven year old, but he did was he was told regardless. He caught the slight tremble as the former started to speak, and wondered what was so serious. "Red, I made you my honorary papa, and that's still gonna be the case until Dad wakes up. But you only speak the Truth, and for that I wanna ask you something else."

The world still seemed to be frozen. Redmond could hear birds in the distance, and the cars on the road beside them. It was cold today, he noticed. Shaking his head to clear any thoughts, he focused once again on the boy in front of him, waiting for him to keep speaking.

"Will you stay being my Papa after this?"

His eyes shot open as he stared at Danny. The boy's eyes were watery and his face was tear-stained. He couldn't speak, but he didn't have to because Danny kept going. "Dad's been sad since Mom went away, but you made him smile, and you make me smile, even if you keep saying that you don't like anything. Because you like me. I know it. You even caught me today in Mr. Drop's room. And you love Dad." He sniffled and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "So will you keep being Papa after? I like you being my Papa..." Redmond was speechless. It had been a very interesting turn of events, and while he wasn't one for showing emotion, he couldn't contain it. He pulled Danny into a tight hug, nodding slightly. He would never admit it to anyone, but he always did want a family. Even an unordinary one like this one he found.

The boy hugged back tightly. "Alright! Close your eyes again and hold out your hand," he demanded. Unable to argue, the barista complied. After a moment, he felt cold metal pressed onto his finger. "Keep them closed! It's a surprise!" Redmond bit his lip. The kid had put a ring onto his finger. Had he... planned this? "Okay, you're good."

Opening his eyes revealed a plain silver band wrapped around the ring finger of his right hand. It fit perectly, too. "Danny, what..."

Danny beamed at him. "This makes you my Papa! And if Dad loves you back it's supposed to go on the other hand!" The adult's mouth open and closed, but the only sound to come out was a tiny squeak of surprise. "And now, we go get a muffin!"

* * *

The customer left, gushing about how they were going to come back all the way out the door.

Fifteen minutes or so later, the door opened to reveal...

"Ah, well if it isn't my beloved patient and his annoying guard chihuahua," Redmond snarked. Peering over Roman's shoulder, he grinned. "And Bossman."

Patton placed his hand on his hips in a fatherly fashion, ready to scold the barista. "Be nice! We can't have you seeing the color Red now, right?" He giggled as everyone else collectively groaned.

Redmond stretched, stepping out from behind the counter with a chocolate milk for Danny. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Joking aside, what are you nerds doing here?" A warning glare from the baker made him reword his statement. "I mean, what can I get for you lovely things?"

"Regrettably, a job." The former deliquent hunched over, attempting to bury himself in his jacket.

"This is Patton we're talking about, you already have a job, try again." The medical student smiled pleasantly, customer service mode in effect.

The baker patted his shoulder. "You're off the clock kiddo! Go hang out with Danny! He's been telling me about his 'Honorary Papa'." The other couldn't contain his blush and turned away to quickly clean up the counter.

He already had his apron in his pack and looked about ready to fling his kid over his shoulder. "Good, because we got somewhere to be." He scooped Danny up, shared a knowing look with Mrs Van der Beek, and darted out the door.

Roman cocked an eyebrow. "That's a curious thing. I wonder where he had to be...

* * *

"DAD!" Redmond had to catch the speedster in mid-air to avoid anymore injuries to the mute detective. He had gotten a text at work from one of the nurses, and a former classmate, that Oliver was ready for visitors. But he sure didn't look like it.

His right arm was in a cast, and from the knuckles on his right hand all the way up to his neck were bandages. No skin was showing. The detective had a bandaged placed over his right eye and he still had cuts and bruises littering his face. Despite all this, however, he grinned at the sight of his visitors. And then immediately paled.

"Where is my grandson?!"

Redmond looked at Danny, said "I'll switch it back later", and put the ring on his left hand.

A stout woman burst in through the door. She had fiery red hair that rivaled Oliver's and a permanent scowl etched across her face.

"It's the Megabitch! Wow, I haven't seen you in years. You look like more of a hag now than you did then!" The orange haired man smirked, and he felt Danny hide behind him.

Victoria Kane snarled, her predatory gaze settling on the barista, the venom in her voice obvious. "YOU."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit. I did a fliccganher.
> 
> *dabs* I wonder if y'all remember who the Megabitch is? I mentioned her before but I haven't updated in AGES x3


End file.
